Real Madrid will make Jude Bellingham their priority next summer and hold the advantage of being the midfielder's preferred destination, according to AS.
The Spanish giants have been touted as one of several potential suitors for Bellingham, who continued to shine on the world stage as England beat Senegal 3-0 to progress into the World Cup quarter-finals. Reports from Germany this week have suggested that Borussia Dortmund are preparing to sell their star come the end of the season, but will demand up to €150million.
Whether Madrid can meet that valuation remains to be seen, and Marca reported earlier today that club president Florentino Perez will not enter a bidding war and pay over the odds for the 19-year-old as he looks to stabilise the club's finances. That same report cites Anfield as the most likely destination, with Liverpool thought to be in pole position.
But now AS report that while Madrid may not be able to match their Premier League rivals financially, they hold the advantage of being Bellingham's preferred destination.
Perez had put aside a huge chunk of Madrid's transfer budget to pay for Kylian Mbappe back in the summer of 2021, but he and those in charge at the Bernabeu feel betrayed by the French star's decision to stay at Paris Saint-Germain and have subsequently made Bellingham - a player who reportedly wants Madrid above all else - their apparent top priority.
The report also outlines Madrid's plans to sign Bellingham's former Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland in 2024, citing an apparent clause in the Manchester City star's contract that allows any non-Premier League team to sign him for €180million after two seasons at the Etihad.
Madrid seem the most likely to rival Liverpool's pursuit of Bellingham, but the Reds are still pushing to tale charge of the situation ahead of summer, according to reports in Germany. Sky's Florian Plettenberg all-but confirmed the fan theories that Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold were working behind the scenes to sell the Anfield move to their England teammate.
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